266 TEN YEARS IN SWEDEN. 



those of the peregrine,, but perhaps rounder. I have seen 

 them of a uniform red colour, and again with a white ground 

 with large red blotches, sometimes forming a crest, some- 

 times a zone, around thejniddle. This latter form of egg is 

 remarkably handsome. 



Subgen. Circus, Sav. Harriers. 



Distinguished by the disk of feathers round the face ; 

 something like the owls, the long thin legs, and long pointed 

 wings, shorter than tail ; third and fourth feathers longest. 

 Frequent low, marshy, fenny tracts. 



18. CIRCUS (ERUGINOSUS, Lath. Eostbrun Karr hok. The 



Marsh Harrier. D. 



Head whitish or rusty yellow; upper parts of the 

 body brown ; thigh feathers rusty yellow ; under parts 

 soot brown, with a broad rusty band over the breast ; 

 the under side of the wings grey-brown, without trans- 

 verse bands ; tail and secondaries ash grey in the male, 

 brown in the female. Length 22 in. 

 All the harriers are summer visitants to the North, and 

 none of them so common as might be expected from the 

 nature of the country. All build their nests on the ground 

 in marshy situations, and lay from three to four blueish- 

 white eggs, more elongated than any other of the 

 hawks. 



The marsh harrier is more common in the south of 

 Sweden and Norway than any of the others, but does not 

 appear to have a very wide northerly range. Is not known 

 in Finland. 



19. C. CYANEUS, Cuv. Bla Karr hok. The Hen Harrier +. 



The King Tail $. D. F. 



Upper plumage in the male blue-grey ; under white, 

 unspotted ; wings underneath, from the root to the 

 middle, white, then black. Length 18 in. Female 

 brown above ; below rusty yellow, streaked longitudi- 

 nally with brown ; wings underneath transversely barred 

 with black and white. Length 20 in. Feather disk 



